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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28415502">Look How They Shine For You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DodgersMutant/pseuds/DodgersMutant'>DodgersMutant</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, M/M, Minor Original Character(s), Single Parents</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:01:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,886</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28415502</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DodgersMutant/pseuds/DodgersMutant</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They never planned to be single parents. Life sort of just happened that way. But maybe a Single Parents Support Group, could help these single parents and their children learn how to live again.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Shimizu Kiyoko/Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Takeda Ittetsu/Ukai Keishin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>69</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Realization</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>An introductory chapter to show who's a parent and who's their kid.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi did not want to think. Did not want his mind to wander down the endless scenarios of what-ifs and "if only I had." He did not wish to consider what this all meant. What this meant for him and his only four year old son, Tobio. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Tobio</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought bitterly. How was he going to tell Tobio? How was he going to explain to his son that his mother was gone? That his mother had been taken from them? That some drunken driver had plowed into her car and killed her instantly? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi himself couldn't still process the news. The realization. He was a single father now. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A deep pain began to build in his chest, right at his solar plexus, spreading outward. He was certain this was what a heart attack would feel like. But it wasn't that. It was something else. Something he couldn't quite place. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hunching forward, he placed both elbows on his knees and buried his face into the palms of his hands. And he began to cry. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tears wouldn't stop now. He had forced them back. Forced them under and now they spilled freely, past his eyelids, over his cheeks, and down his chin where they began to catch at the collar of his shirt, staining the fabric. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sobs came next. Deep, body wracking sobs that shook his shoulders and reverberated in his chest, in the hollowness that seemed to consume him inch by inch. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>How was he going to tell Tobio? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're cheating on me, aren't you?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi's question broke the profound silence that had followed him and his wife for some time now. A silence that followed them when they woke besides each other, each awkwardly clinging to their sides of the too small bed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A silence that followed them throughout the day as they pretended to be happy parents to their four year old son, Kei. A silence that swallowed them whole as they mumbled "good night's" to one another then faced away from each other. Koushi facing the bedroom door, always in case Kei wandered in from a bad dream. His wife, facing the window as if wishing to be somewhere else entirely. To be with someone else. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The question was spoken one evening. A gloomy, overcast day where the small family of three had eaten in and then watched yet another dinosaur movie that Kei always begged to watch. How the four year old managed to find new dinosaur movies to watch was beyond them. When Koushi had finally returned to the living room, after tucking in Kei and pressing a kiss to his brow, he found his wife smiling down at her phone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She used to smile like that whenever Koushi told her how much he loved her, how beautiful she was, how wonderful she was. And now, she was smiling like that at someone else's words. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The question had burst out of Koushi's mouth. A question that had often lingered on his mind and had sat at the tip of his tongue, ready to be spoken but often swallowed down by Koushi himself. He wanted to know the truth. He didn't want to know the truth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And now the question hung in the air like an empty noose readied to be tightened around a slender neck. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His wife had squeezed the phone in her hands, shoulders hunching to her ears. Her pale, blonde hair had shielded her face, hidden the angry clench to her jaw before she rose her gaze and scowled. Scowled as if this was somehow Koushi's fault. As if she wasn't the one seeing someone else  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes. Are you happy now? Ready to congratulate yourself for finally having the balls to ask me?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When had she been so rude? So blunt? Where had his soft spoken wife gone? Had that always been a lie? When had she begun to lie to him?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Who is he?" Koushi had looked away, he didn't want her to see just how much she had pained him. Didn't want her to see the tears that had formed in his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Does it matter?" Her voice was sharp, like a knife ready to slice through skin and bone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It felt like a slap. Koushi winced at her words and lifted a finger to wipe at a stray tear. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm going to move in with him. He bought us a house in Shanghai. You should see it. You would never be able to afford such a thing."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi whirled on her then, all signs of anguish gone, replaced by anger. "You can't! Kei lives here. Tokyo is his home! Japan is his home!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Who ever said anything about me taking Kei?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh," Koushi sighed as the realization sunk in. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The manila envelope had sat in the same place for that past week: on the edge of the coffee table in the living room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was an often overlooked place due to the pile of bills, the fast food coupons, the grocery store advertisements, and the squishy green frog toys that Tadashi loved to play with on a daily basis. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But as Asahi finally got around to cleaning the house, he couldn't neglect the envelope anymore. So there he sat, envelope in between his large hands, fingers anxiously tapping a rhythm against the pale yellow folder. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When he felt as if the air would rush out of his lungs if he didn't open it, he flipped it over and nimbly undid the simple clasp that was held together by a pale string. With a shaky exhale, he slipped the pile of papers out and let his gaze focus on the hundreds of words typed across. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Divorce papers. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Official, legal divorce papers already signed by his wife, soon-to-be his ex-wife. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His lawyer had already discussed the entirety of its contents to him. He wouldn't have to pay a single dime to her, wouldn't have to lose the house or the car, or their son. In fact, he now had sole custody to their four year old son, Tadashi. He was officially a single man and a single father once he signed his name. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tears sprang to his eyes but he gulped them down as he uncapped his pen and deftly signed his name across the empty space next to her name. He had to do this. He promised he would do this. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn't fit to be a mom. At least, that's what she told him every night as she sobbed in his arms, as she begged to be let go. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Please Asahi, I can't be his mom. I can't be anyone's mom. I'm not meant to be one. Let me go. Please. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And he had. He had let her do the planning. Had let her organize the divorce papers that would sever her ties to their family. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Had let her go. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He, Asahi Azumane, had let his wife leave him and Tadashi all alone. He had let her go. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What have I done?" He whispered to himself as a fresh wave of tears spilled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Good fucking riddance!" Yu screamed from the apartment's balcony, hands clenched tight against the metal railing as he leaned over. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His ex-wife simply flipped him off as she climbed into her current boyfriend's car. The car's engine drowned out the next slew of Yu's curses as it sped out of the parking lot and raced down the street. She always had a knack for loud men and even louder cars. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Fucking bitch!" Yu screamed, face red and feet kicking the balcony's metal bars. He didn't care that she wouldn't hear him, wouldn't see him. But he needed to be rid of this pent up frustration. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As more curses spewed past his lips, Yu turned on his heel and slipped back inside the apartment to find a tear stained Shoyo looking up at him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is mommy gone for good?" He asked, lower lip wobbling. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yu's heart broke as he collapsed to his knees in front of Shoyo and scooped him up into his arms. His four year old son was small for his age, easily fitting in Yu's own small frame. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We don't need her, Shoyo. It's always been the two of us, right? We only need the two of us." Yu didn't know who he said the words for. If they were spoken for his or his son's own sake. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We'll always be together, Sho. That's what matters." Yu whispered into his son's bright orange hair, eyes clenching shut as tears threatened to break free. He would not cry for that bitch. She did not deserve it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We'll always be together," Yu repeated as Shoyo's quiet sobbing began to fill the empty apartment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The loud wails of a baby filled Ryu's too small apartment. The wailing traveled down the hallway and into his bedroom, rousing him from a deep sleep. A deep sleep he so desperately needed after having been awake for hours on end, trying to figure out how to make a baby fall asleep. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm up! I'm up!" Ryu exclaimed as he pushed himself up on his elbows and sighed. Pushing the palms of his hands against his eyelids, he tried to wake himself up as he finally stumbled to his feet and made his way into the living room slash nursery. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As his apartment only had one small bedroom, he had to improvise, converting a small corner of the living room into a nursery. A light wood crib waited for him, the wailing baby squirming inside as he begged to be picked up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm here! Daddy's here!" Ryu sang as he gazed down at his baby boy and smiled. "Good morning to you too, beautiful Kazuhito!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuhito only continued to wail, little fists pounding the air until Ryu scooped him up with caution and brought him to his chest. The contact immediately eased the six month old's distress as he buried his face into the side of his father's neck and breathed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"See, you don't need to cry. Daddy will always be here for you." Ryu cooed as he peppered his son's bald head with kiss after kiss. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryu often marveled at how similar he and his son looked. It was simply another confirmation that this baby was his. That he, Ryūnosuke Tanaka, was now a father. A father. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryu had only been a father for about four months now. And every day since, had been a learning opportunity. How to change diapers, how to bathe a baby, how to feed a baby, how to raise a baby. Everything was brand new. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryu often wondered how this had become his life. How he had become a single father to a baby boy. How everything had changed from that day months ago. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That day, when he awoke to the incessant pounding on his apartment door and had opened it to find two strangers standing on the sidewalk, gaping down at the baby swaddled in blankets inside the carrier, documents squeezed besides it. Ryu had balked at the sight before studying the documents to find that they were two birth certificates, an original and a copy, proclaiming the baby to be Kazuhito and Ryu the father. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The mother's name had brought a blurry memory of a woman's face. A woman Ryu had met at a nightclub and had then shortly taken to bed in this very apartment. A woman who he hadn't seen since that night. A woman who had given birth to a baby, left it at his doorstep, and altogether disappeared. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A woman who couldn't be found by the authorities after Ryu had called the police to inform them of what had transpired. After a paternity test at the hospital confirmed him to be the father and after a detective informed him that the woman had no immediate family, Ryu had decided to raise Kazuhito on his own. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After all, what sort of father abandoned his own child? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Bastard," Kiyoko Shimizu spat under her breath as she counted the money tucked into the white envelope, alongside the simple "I'm sorry" Hallmark card. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That bastard had left her a thousand dollars in cash and a brief "I'm sorry, I'm not ready to be a father" card instead of his promise to visit. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That bastard had left her and their four month old son, Hisahi. Kiyoko knew this would happen. He hadn't been excited when she announced her pregnancy through the cute Scrabble game she had purposely made them play in order to tell him the great news. He had simply stared down at the tiles then promptly left the apartment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When he returned, he had apologized to a crying Kiyoko, making up some grand excuse that he had been caught off guard and had needed fresh air. She believed him, he was an excellent liar, of course. But he began to grow distant, began to splurge on baby things that wouldn't be needed until later on. She should have known that he was buying her the things she would need when the baby was born and when he was no longer in the picture. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She should have known when Hisahi was born and when he refused to hold the baby, claiming to be nervous about holding a newborn. She should have known when he wouldn't go comfort a crying baby in the night, when he vanished for work at odd hours, refusing to help her with the newborn baby. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She should have known he would eventually leave. Should have thought it strange that his things slowly began to disappear from their shared apartment one by one. Should have seen it coming. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And here she was, cash in hand, a sleeping baby in the crook of her arm, and no partner to help. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This money would not last. Did he not know how much she spent on baby things alone? Let alone, the money it took to pay the rent, the bills, the groceries, and other necessities. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She could take this to court. Force the government into making him pay child support. But she suddenly didn't want him anywhere near her or Hisahi, she didn't need that bastard. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I can do this. I can do this." Kiyoko whispered into the air, pulling her son closer. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She didn't need his help. She could do this alone. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>would</span>
  </em>
  <span> do this alone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She's my daughter too! You can't keep her from me!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Actually, I can! I have full custody, remember?" Keishin yelled as he blocked the front door with the length of his body, arms braced on either side. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"A child needs her mother!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You should have thought of that before your reckless child endangerment, drunk driving, and public intoxication! Should I keep naming all your issues so that the neighbors can know what a horrible mother you are!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin had no sympathy nor patience when it came to his ex-wife. He had removed her from his and his daughter's life. Poor Hitoka was only four and she already had more hours spent in therapy than most adults did in their lifetime. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Just let me see her! I'll leave once I see her!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No." Keishin practically growled, glaring down his nose at the obviously intoxicated woman before him. "Look at you. You think our daughter needs a reminder of what you did? You think she needs to be reminded of what a piss poor mother she has?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His ex-wife wailed drunkenly, grasping at Keishin's arms as if her strength alone could move him. He didn't budge an inch as he lifted a hand and lightly pushed her away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Go away before I have the cops come pick you up." He threatened. "What would your parole officer have to say about that?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh screw you Ukai! Screw you! Screw you!" She screamed childishly as she finally gave up, stumbling down the porch steps and down the driveway. Keishin watched as she made her way down the neighborhood, no doubt to take the bus as her license was indefinitely suspended. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once Keishin was certain she was gone, did he turn and slip back inside, locking the door behind him. He did not expect to find Hitoka seated on the bottom step of the staircase, her frail form hunched into a ball. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is she gone, dad?" She whispered, clearly afraid to raise her voice any further. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin sighed as he settled onto the step besides her, pulling his daughter into his lap. "Yes, she's gone, sweetheart. She won't bother us again, okay?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't want to see her again. Please daddy, make her go away!" Hitoka's voice was too soft to be considered a yell, but Keishin understood the intensity put behind it  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I promise she'll never find us again. Okay?" Keishin whispered into her hair. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And he would make sure of it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cemetery, at this time of year, was usually empty. It was a perfect day for Ittetsu Takeda and his six year old son, Chikara, to visit. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chikara walked ahead of him, an overflowing bouquet of brightly arranged flowers in both arms, the petals pressed to his cheeks. From this angle, Takeda couldn't see the tears that lined his son's face but the way his shoulders shook was enough for him to deduce that his son was crying. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Walking faster, Takeda wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders and drew him close, shifting the picnic basket to his other hand. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's okay to cry, Chikara. You don't have to hide it from me." Takeda was soft spoken, especially so around his timid son. But he had begun to tread even more carefully after the loss of his wife and Chikara's mother. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a year long battle with cancer, his wife and mother of his child had passed away. Although he missed her greatly, Takeda was glad she finally got to rest after fighting for so long. And today, Takeda and his son would remember her on the day it would have been her birthday. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As they neared her gravestone, Chikara stepped away to place the bouquet of flowers up against the stone plaque. His tiny fingers pressed up against the colored photo of his mother and Takeda had to force himself to look away so that he could spread the flannel blanket across the grass and assemble their small picnic. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When all was ready, Takeda sat down and pushed his glasses up his nose. Turning to smile at the plaque his son was still crouched besides, he whispered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Happy birthday, my love." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the quiet confines of his office, Takeda planned. Chikara and him had just returned from a day's long trip to the cemetery and his son now napped in the next room over. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Takeda could not sleep as he scribbled over and over, jotting down his ideas on paper. And when his hand began to cramp, he quickly read his words and nodded. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yes. This is what he and many other single parents needed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A support group. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A Funeral</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A funeral and the prospect of a support group helping three fathers and their children.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Where's mommy?" </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tobio's question numbed Daichi. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had been an hour since they arrived home. An hour since Daichi had put a sleeping Tobio to bed, relieved that his son had been fast asleep when he picked him up at his parents' house. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>His mother had held him when he arrived, together they openly sobbed on the living room floor. His father had simply sniffled, a broad hand resting on Daichi's shoulder, anchoring him before he sank into the oblivion of anguish. Pure and utter anguish that threatened to drag him under. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>But he had to be strong. Daichi Sawamura was anything but weak. He was a foundation that others could rely on. His family had relied on him for years when he worked extra hours after his father's back injury and subsequent surgery. His wife had relied on him when she suffered from terrible pains during her pregnancy. And now his son would rely on him, as the remaining parent he had. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi could not break. Would not break. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>And yet, Tobio's question threatened to undo all the bravado he had mustered. Threatened to collapse that very foundation he had been. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi had been seated on the edge of the couch, hands pressed to his head, fingers tangled in the overgrown locks of brown hair. He needed a haircut. But a haircut seemed so inconsequential compared to the day's events. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>At Tobio's softly voiced question, Daichi had snapped his head up and froze. Tobio was standing in the doorway of his bedroom, a hand rubbing at his sleepy eyes. He looked so small, suddenly. Too small. Too small and young to have already lost his mother. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The thought choked Daichi. He gasped for air as a half sob crawled up his throat, lodged there as he pushed himself to his feet and faced away from his young son. Furiously dabbing at his eyes, he sniffled and shook his head. He needed to get it together. Needed to be there for his son. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When some semblance of control returned to him, Daichi lowered himself to his knees before his son and wrapped an arm around the back of his knees. He tugged Tobio to his chest and gently ran his hand through his son's sleep mussed black hair. Black hair, blue eyes. Tobio looked so much like his mother and nothing like him. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I need you to listen, really carefully. Can you do that for me?" Daichi asked as he rose to his feet and carried his son over to the couch. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Settling on the cushions, Daichi placed Tobio on his knee and studied him. Tobio blinked tiredly up at him but nodded. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Mommy had an accident…" Daichi's words trailed off. How did he even explain this to his son? How was he supposed to explain this? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Is she okay?" Tobio's voice pitched upwards in a clear sign of panic as he sat up straighter. His blue eyes were no longer glazed with sleep, but alert with clear intensity. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi squeezed his eyes shut. His hands shook and so he pressed one to the small of Tobio's back and curled the other into a tight fist. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When he opened his eyes, Tobio was looking at him, tears already spilling down his round cheeks. Somehow, Daichi's four year old son had gotten to the conclusion. He knew what happened. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi could not choke down his next sob and so it spilled past his lips, causing Tobio to burst into full blown tears. Already his nose began to run as he threw himself into his father's chest and sobbed. It was a sound so overwhelming that Daichi could only hold his son and cry with him. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I'm so sorry, Tobio. I'm so sorry." Daichi apologized again and again, as if he somehow was at fault for the tragedy, for the loss they faced. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tobio only wailed louder, his fists clenching around his father's shirt as he bowed his head. Daichi hated the way his small son curled in on himself. Shifting, he lay across the expanse of the couch with his son curled up besides him. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tobio clung to his father, his last living parent, and sobbed for the rest of the night. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>And all the while, Daichi sobbed with him. </p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>Should a funeral only take two weeks to plan? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Should a funeral be held two weeks after the death of a loved one? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Should a funeral even be held for someone who shouldn't have died? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>These three questions and so many more spiraled out of control, pressing up against Daichi's brain, causing the deep pounding across the side of his head. Daichi pressed a hand to his temple and hissed. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Daichi, are you okay?" </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Blinking, Daichi rose his gaze and found the soft brown eyes of Asahi Azumane looking back at him. Daichi nodded slowly, dropping his hand back down to his side. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Just a headache." Daichi reassured his friend, forcing a small smile onto his features. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Asahi saw right through it, placing a hand on Daichi's shoulder and squeezing. "You don't have to pretend around me, Daichi. I know you're hurting, I know Tobio is hurting. I'm so sorry this happened." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi blinked back tears, eyes falling to the wooden floorboards of the columbarium. He was standing in the receiving hall, right before the double doors that lead to the private room where his wife's portrait and urn were displayed. The room had been filled with flowers, many of them brought by those who came to pay their respects. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi's parents were inside, as were his wife's parents, both sides of the family openly mourning alongside one another. Turning, Daichi could see Tobio seated on a lone bench in the corner of the room, head bowed. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Like Daichi, he was dressed in a crisp black suit, hair slicked back with gel. His small feet wiggled every so often as he fidgeted, clearly already wanting to be rid of this place. As Daichi watched his son, Asahi's own son, Tadashi, slipped away to seat himself beside Tobio. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tobio did not raise his gaze to look at his companion but did not pull away when Tadashi quietly slipped his hand into the other's palm. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi looked away, wiping at the tears that now spilled freely. Asahi and his son were both so timid, perfectly matching Tobio's own quiet demeanor. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"How's Tadashi doing with the whole divorce?" Daichi questioned, finally raising his eyes to look at his best friend. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Asahi sighed. "Some days he seems fine and then others… he doesn't talk to me. I think he blames me for his mother leaving." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Asahi, don't think that. Tadashi just needs time to process the knowledge that his own mother walked out of his life. That's incredibly hard for a four year old to manage." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"So is dealing with the death of one's mother." Asahi offered a sympathetic smile, eyes flitting back over to their sons, who now sat close together, heads bowed. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi followed his gaze and nodded. "I think they'll do a better job at coping than we could." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Asahi chuckled but abruptly stopped. The sound seemed so out of place where they currently were, as if it were entirely wrong. So morbidly wrong to laugh in such a time and place. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before Asahi could apologize, as he often did, two figures approaching them caused the pair of friends to turn. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Keishin Ukai was approaching them, dressed in a similar suit with his unruly hair only half slicked back, the rest of his bleach blonde tresses curling over his ears. Hitoka, his daughter, was timidly peering from behind her father's legs, her simple black dress making Daichi remember that this was a funeral.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A funeral for his now dead wife. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Daichi, I'm so sorry for you and Tobio's loss." Keishin whispered as he pulled his friend into a bone crushing hug. Daichi allowed himself to be held before lifting his own hands and patting his other friend's back. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Thank you, Keishin. And thank you for coming." Pulling back, Daichi offered his friend a small smile before gazing down at Hitoka. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hitoka could only mumble a soft "sorry for your loss" before diving back behind her father's leg. Leaning down, Daichi patted her blonde pigtails before motioning to where his son and Tadashi sat. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Why don't you go say hi?" </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eyes flicking over to her two friends, Hitoka's face broke into one of her rare smiles before she timidly walked away, hands clasped before her. Tobio and Tadashi both looked up at the same time, the latter smiling. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Poor kid, how's he taking it?" Keishin broke the silence. All three fathers shifted into a circle, facing one another and blocking out the rest of the room. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"He cries everyday and I do my best to be there to comfort him. He doesn't want to leave my side, I'm worried for him." Daichi sighed, pressing a hand to his face as he choked back a sob. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hey, you're doing the best you can, what with the circumstances. It's okay to worry." Keishin grasped one of Daichi's shoulders while Asahi clasped the other. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"He's a strong kid. He'll get through this and so will you." Asahi chimed in, squeezing his friend's shoulder. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi let out a loud exhale, bowing his head. "I know…. But it still hurts so much." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Without another word said between the three, Keishin and Asahi pulled Daichi into a hug. They stood like that, for what felt like hours before three small bodies broke into their circle. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When all three men glanced down, they found a smiling Tadashi, a timidly grinning Hitoka, and a straight faced Tobio. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hey you!" Keishin greeted, ruffling each kid's hair in turn before lifting Hitoka into his arms. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Asahi lifted Tadashi into his own arms, the small boy snuggling his face into his father's chest. "Tobio is sad, papa." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yes, I know, Tadashi. But you were helping him, right? He's your friend and friends make sure they're there for each other." Tadashi nodded at his father's words, gaze falling to Tobio. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi looked down at his son and his son looked back up. Raising his arms, Tobio's lower lip wobbled so Daichi was quick to scoop him up into his arms. Burying his face into the crook of his father's neck, Tobio began to cry. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi wrapped both arms tightly around his son and cried with him. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I'm here, Tobio. I'm here." </p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>Dawn poked its fingers through the curtains of the bedroom window, soft golden light spilling across the expanse of the room. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi blinked against the warm glow as he carefully sat up in bed. Tobio was curled besides him, fast asleep and wrapped in a blanket twice his size. Smiling softly, Daichi bent to kiss his son's hair before rising from the bed and heading for the kitchen. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Coffee was in order. Some days, it felt like the richly caffeinated beverage was the only thing keeping him moving. That and his son. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As the coffee machine softly brewed a fresh cup, Daichi turned away to check his phone. The device always charged in the kitchen, away from his bedroom so that its sound wouldn't wake Tobio. Tobio struggled some days to sleep, nightmares startlingly him awake and keeping him up all through the night. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Last night had been one of the rare nights where Tobio actually slept without a bad dream to wake him. They were rare and few but desperately needed for the Sawamura boys. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As usual, his mother and mother-in-law had messaged him to let them know if he needed anything. Asahi had sent several messages informing Daichi that they were always welcome at his place. Daichi had already taken him up on the offer, Tobio and him often sleeping over at the Azumane household. It helped the four immensely as Daichi and Asahi often needed each other and Tobio and Tadashi were content to be together. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Keishin messaged less frequently, always the type to not hover and bother another. But his messages were always helpful whenever Daichi couldn't sleep and needed someone to chat with. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As Daichi scrolled through several unopened messages, many of them apologizing for not being able to make it to the funeral and offering their sympathy, he found one with an unknown number. It wasn't listed in his contacts but Daichi clicked it nonetheless to read. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> "Hi, I do hope this message reaches Daichi Sawamura. If not, please disregard this message.  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> My name is Ittetsu Takeda and I am a recent widower and newly single father to my son. News of your loss made its way to me and I offer my deepest condolences for your loss.  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> I have recently decided to form a support group for single parents and am hoping to reach out to as many other single parents out there. The support group will be having its first meeting soon and I do hope you and your son decide to join us.  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Please feel free to reach out to me for any questions or concerns. And please share this information with any other single parents you think might need this support group's help. Also, do not feel like you need to respond or even attend.  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em> I do wish you and your son the best and I hope to see you there. </em>" </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The message ended with details of a date, time, and location for a so-called "Single Parents Support Group." </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi had no idea how this Takeda person even got a hold of his number, let alone how he learned of his wife's passing. But he seemed sincere enough and had even mentioned losing his own wife recently. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>As Daichi read and re-read the message, he found himself leaning towards attending this meeting. It wouldn't hurt to see what it was about and if it wasn't to his liking, then he could simply opt out from returning. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>With a quick forward to both Asahi and Keishin, Daichi placed his phone aside and turned to prepare his coffee. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Perhaps this support group could help Tobio and him. </p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>Asahi's phone chirped as a new message arrived. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He stepped away from the stove, where he was preparing a simple breakfast of pancakes for Tadashi and him, and unplugged his phone. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The message was from Daichi and it was forwarded from a different number. As Asahi read through the contents of the text message, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He had often wished there was some sort of support group out there that could help him figure out if what he did was right, if he had made a mistake letting Tadashi's mother leave them. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>After he responded to Daichi's group text, with a smiling emoji and an enthusiastic "Let's go!", he returned to preparing breakfast. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The text message had left him with a sense of relief and hope. Perhaps this was the sign he was waiting for. The sign that he could get through this. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>That they could all get through this. </p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>Glancing at the new message on his phone, Keishin arched his brows. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A support group? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He scoffed at its contents and was ready to throw his phone aside when Asahi replied with a rather enthusiastic response to the meeting. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sighing, Keishin pinched the bridge of his nose. As the eldest of the trio, Keishin often felt like the protector to both Daichi and Asahi. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>What kind of protector would he be if he let his two friends and their sons attend this meeting, only for it to turn out to be a scam? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cursing, Keishin responded with a simple "fine". He certainly didn't like the idea of a support group, let alone one that was created by some random man. Some random man who somehow got a hold of Daichi's number. That certainly wasn't creepy in its own right. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>No, Keishin was only attending to keep a close eye on his best friends and their sons. And if the group turned out to be legit, then he would let Daichi and Asahi continue attending while he sat out. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Keishin Ukai was definitely not hoping that this group was legitimate and that it could potentially help him with his own problems. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>No, Keishin Ukai definitely did not hope. </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Comments are appreciated and feedback welcome. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Let me know what I need to improve on because I always hope to grow.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. An Invitation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Takeda extends an Invitation to two friends and two acquaintances.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The coffee shop had become their safe place and unofficial meeting place. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi had discovered the tiny cafe during one of his more notorious coffee trips. He had been on the hunt for a coffee shop close to home and for one that wasn’t ridiculously expensive. Discovering Tanaka’s Cafe had been a godsend. One that Koushi was thankful for everyday as he often found himself spending more time at the coffee shop than at home. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi’s wife had been a handful. What had started as an endearing quality, quickly warped into a nightmare as the relationship between husband and wife rapidly deteriorated. When Koushi could not handle her backhanded remarks and constant nagging, he would sneak away with Kei to Tanaka’s Cafe. It was a family friendly cafe with warm wood tones and that often played the latest pop music, with the occasional traditional folk songs. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tanaka’s Cafe was owned by the Tanaka’s, a loud and rambunctious family of four. The matriarch, who went by Mama Tanaka, and her husband, similarly named Papa Tanaka, were the two owners who worked at the cafe daily. Mama Tanaka took the orders, manned the cash register, and brewed the rich coffees and delicious teas that had made the cafe so popular with its patrons. Papa Tanaka worked in the kitchen, baking the tasty treats that one could enjoy at the establishment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The married couple were the proud parents of two children: their daughter, Saeko, and their son, Ryūnosuke, nicknamed Ryu. Saeko was the captain of a renowned Taiko drum group, aptly named Disorderly Crowd. When Saeko wasn’t off with her group performing at a festival or an event, she was in the cafe, helping her father in the kitchen or helping her mother take the orders. The son, Ryu, was less frequent at the shop. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi was aware that Ryu had recently become a father, an event that had surprised the entire family as the child, a six-month old named Kazuhito, had been left on the youngest Tanaka’s doorstep. Mama Tanaka had told Koushi the story one rainy day when the shop had been rather empty. She had sat with Koushi and Kei, detailing the whole event. Despite the circumstances, the Tanaka’s were head-over-heels in love with the young baby boy. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi had often seen the small baby, either fast asleep in a bassinet behind the counter or nestled in his grandmother’s arms as Ryu manned the cash register. Ryu had been absent the past few months as he preferred to stay at home with Kazuhito, learning how to be a father. His family had encouraged it, reassuring the youngest member of their family that they would help him wherever they could. Koushi was rather envious of the family’s dynamic. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His own parents had been distant growing up and now, Koushi didn’t speak to them. He had been close with his younger brother when they were kids. But now, they had grown apart. His brother preferred his solitude away from the rest of the Sugawara family. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Being in this cafe comforted Koushi. If he couldn’t have the picture perfect family, then at least he could vicariously live through watching the interactions between the Tanaka’s. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So why did you invite us here again?” Kiyoko broke the silence as she quickly peeked into the baby stroller to check on her four month old, Hisashi. When she was certain he was fast asleep, she adjusted her glasses and looked across the circular table to study Takeda. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi looked away from the cafe’s counter, away from the happily chattering family of now five. Kazuhito may have been abandoned by his mother, but his remaining family certainly made up for the poor excuse of a mother. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda was seated to his left, Chikara seated between his father and the baby stroller where Hisahi napped. To Koushi’s right, Kei sat, quietly nibbling on a dinosaur shaped cookie, courtesy of Papa Tanaka. Softly stroking his son’s blonde hair, Koushi glanced towards Takeda and waited for his answer. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Remember the support group I mentioned a few weeks ago?” Takeda began, nervously wrapping his bright green scarf around his neck. “Well, I managed to find a location willing to let me hold the group’s meetings at a reasonable price.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You already got that far with your plans?” Koushi asked in surprise. Leave it to Takeda to never procrastinate. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. And I even reached out to someone with the details of the first meeting. He already replied to me that he would be coming with his son, as well as two of his close friends and their own two children.” Takeda seemed proud of this accomplishment, his cheeks flushing a rather cute shade of pink. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Congratulations Takeda!” Kiyoko beamed at him, her eyes seeming to twinkle from behind her glasses. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda ducked his head in embarrassment, adjusting his own glasses before speaking. “It would really mean the world to me if you two could come as well. I really want to make this support group last and I want it to work!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course we’ll come.” Koushi replied, reaching across the table to playfully punch Takeda’s arm. “What kind of friends would we be if we let you meet up with strangers?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kiyoko laughed, a soft but angelic sound as she flipped a strand of hair over her shoulder. “So who was this person you invited?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh right,” Takeda straightened in his seat. “His name is Daichi Sawamura and he has a four year old son named Tobio. His wife recently passed due to a drunk driver. I read about it in the paper around the time I was thinking of forming the group, and well, I thought he could use the group during this difficult time.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi’s heart panged at the information. Poor man. Poor little boy. No one should have to lose a loved one due to someone else’s senseless act. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And you said he invited his own two friends?” Kiyoko questioned, lifting her mug of coffee to her mouth to take a sip. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Daichi informed me that they are both single fathers. The older one, I forget his name, has been divorced for a good few years now and has a daughter. The younger one, Asahi, is going through a divorce and has a son. I believe both their children are also four.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you hear that, Kei? Potential friends of the same age.” Koushi remarked as he nudged his son. Kei flushed at his father’s words, clearly embarrassed at the thought. “And Chikara, you get to be the senpai to your new kouhais.” Chikara proudly smiled at the idea. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda chuckled, affectionately kissing his son’s dark hair. “I was also thinking of inviting Ryu.” His eyes flicked towards the cafe’s counter where the man in question was bent forward in concentration, making certain his latte art came out perfect. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s a good idea!” Koushi exclaimed before sending a coy smirk Kiyoko’s direction. “In fact, I’m sure Ryu and you could pass along newborn baby advice and other such information.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kiyoko scoffed but the flush on her cheeks seemed to give away her true feelings. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Am I missing something?” Takeda asked, clearly confused.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh nothing, Koushi just loves to meddle.” Kiyoko waved her hand in the air, clearly trying to steer the conversation elsewhere and away from the barista in question.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, it definitely isn’t nothing, Takeda. After all, Ryu did once drunkenly propose to our Shimizu-kun.” Koushi snickered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Suga!” Kiyoko wailed but Koushi simply laughed louder. </span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tinkling of bells informed the Tanaka’s that someone had either entered or left their coffee shop. And since their only patrons were the same group of adults with their kids that often frequented their establishment and who always left with polite goodbye’s, Ryu knew someone had just entered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pausing from his shaky attempt at a crow made out of foam, Ryu rose to his full height and popped his sore back. “Welcome to- oh! Noya! Shoyo! How have you two been?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The dark bags under Yu’s eyes and Shoyo’s tear stained face should have given away the answer. Wincing, Ryu ducked his head. “Let me guess, your usual with two double pumps of espresso and a vanilla milkshake?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And a cookie!” Shoyo exclaimed, seemingly forgetting whatever had made him cry on the way to the Tanaka’s shop. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Coming right up!” Ryu beamed down at the little boy before hastingly sweeping away to prepare the two drinks. Once Yu had a sip of coffee, he would question their appearances. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Drinks made and cookie in Shoyo’s hand, the father and son duo seated themselves at a nearby table. After checking that his son was still fast asleep in his grandmother’s arms, Ryu instantly sat himself in the open seat at Yu's table before placing both arms on the table top. “So what happened now?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Shoyo has decided that he would rather share my bed than sleep on his own. And being the restless sleeper that he is, he’s kept me up every single day this past week.” Yu blew the unique strands of light hair from his face. He clearly hadn’t bothered to do his hair this morning as it was down instead of up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, that explains the…” Ryu motioned towards his friend’s face but quickly dropped the rest of his sentence from the death glare sent his way. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How do you manage to still look so well rested? You have a six month old for crying out loud!” Yu shouted, clearly annoyed by his best friend’s cheerful expression. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“One: Kazuhito loves to nap and so do I. Two: I work at a cafe, I have an endless supply of coffee. And three: my goddess has graced me with her presence today!” Ryu lifted a finger to count each of his reasons before sweeping his gaze towards the full table surrounded by single parents and their respective children. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yu followed his gaze and his features quickly morphed from its previous sleep-deprived state into one of utter delight. “We mortals do not deserve such the honor!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, we do not.” Ryu agreed, a dreamy sigh escaping him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When the goddess in question turned to look his way, Ryu flushed a bright shade of red before averting his eyes. “Is she still looking?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. In fact, they’re all looking.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yu’s words intrigued Ryu and so he found himself lifting his gaze to see. Kiyoko and her friends were, in fact, looking at them. At both of them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why are they staring?" Ryu wondered aloud as the dark haired man with glasses, Takeda, stood and approached the counter. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"My apologies for staring. I don't think I've ever introduced myself to you two despite often running into each other. I'm Ittetsu Takeda." Bowing respectfully, Takeda smiled shyly. "I understand you two are single fathers." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Ryūnosuke Tanaka and this is my friend, Yu Nishinoya.” The two friends bowed in unison. “And yes, we both have sons.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi! I’m Shoyo!” Yu’s bright haired son exclaimed, chocolate smeared across his mouth as he bowed, a wide smile across his face. Ryu was often taken aback at how Shoyo seemed to forget about his mother’s absence. It was almost as if the young boy had already accepted the fact that his mother was likely to not return. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello Shoyo,” Taked bowed at the small boy, a pleasant grin on his features. “I wanted to invite you two and your sons to a support group I am holding this Saturday. It’s meant for single parents.” At the mention of the group, Takeda pulled out two small index sized cards, handing one to each man. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“‘Support Group for Single Parents’,” Yu read, eyebrows raising. “I don’t know. I’ve never been fond of the idea of other parents telling me what I should and shouldn’t do.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no, this group is simply meant to help each other. I don’t want anyone stepping on another parent’s toes. It’s more about sharing our own experiences and offering a lending hand where we can.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The more Takeda spoke, the more Ryu found himself inclined to pay this support group meeting a visit. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I know I could definitely use advice when it comes to babies.” Ryu laughed, lifting a hand and rubbing the back of his neck. “By any chance, are your two friends going to this meeting?” His eyes flickered over to the raven haired beauty that was Kiyoko Shimizu before flicking away just as quickly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh yes!” Takeda nodded rapidly, a knowing grin on his features. “I even managed to snag three more fathers. We should be a pretty good sized group.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Then add us to the list.” Ryu announced enthusiastically as Yu nodded his agreement.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Perfect! Your sons are greatly welcomed. I think they’ll be able to get along with the other children who are also attending.” Bowing once more, Takeda retreated back to the table with his son and friends. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Three more fathers, huh?” Yu hummed, eyes settling on Kiyoko. “Three potential sleaze bags that might hit on our beautiful goddess.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eyes narrowing, Ryu crossed both arms over his chest. “Our top priority is to protect our goddess. The second will be to see if this group is worth attending.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well if Kiyoko’s attending, that’s all the incentive I need!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Then it’s settled. Saturday, we go to this support group.” </span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you two really think this support group is going to be any good?” Keishin sighed into his phone as he balanced it between his shoulder and cheek. Both his hands were occupied with the spaghetti he was making for dinner. Hitoka was seated at the kitchen table, coloring in her favorite coloring book. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Always the downer, aren’t you?’ Daichi teased on the other end of the line. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Be realistic! How did this Takeda guy even get your number? Shouldn’t that be your first warning sign?” Keishin retorted, eyebrows narrowing into a scowl. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That is pretty worrying,” Asahi chimed in. “But we’ve been talking about how it would be nice to know more single parents.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Correction: you two have been wanting that. I am content with only knowing you two.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And that is why you scare away any potential friends, Keishin.” Daichi huffed. “Asahi and I have been forced to deal with you as our only other friend.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And aren’t you two lucky?” Keishin drawled. “I can hear you laughing, Asahi.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry,” Asahi’s laughter abruptly stopped as he cleared his throat. “While it is great to have you two as friends. It would be nice to befriend other parents who are going through similar experiences.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What? You think someone else has a terrible ex-wife who they despise?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well you never know. Takeda told me he was a widower too. His wife died from breast cancer. And while that might not be the same as losing a wife to a drunk driver, Takeda has a longer time being a widower." Daichi stated, recalling his conversation with the support group's creator. "I'm interested to know more about how he deals with it, you know?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin sighed as he carried two bowls of spaghetti over to the kitchen table. He then gripped his phone in hand and nodded to no one in particular. "Fine, fine. You've convinced me, I'll go." He didn't mention how he had already decided to go. His friends didn't need to know that part.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Great!" Daichi exclaimed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you, Keishin!" Asahi exhaled. The youngest of the trio was often looking to his older friends for bravery and support. Despite being the tallest, he was the least confident. Daichi was the rock of their group: calming an always anxious Asahi and stopping an overly aggressive Keishin from getting into fights. They were an interesting group. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, yeah, you can thank me with a few rounds." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Deal. Although, I doubt we'll ever get the chance to go out drinking." Daichi stated rather matter-of-factly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"True. But I'm holding you both accountable if we get scammed." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you think we'll get scammed?" Asahi asked, worried.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We won't get scammed. Stop scaring Asahi, Keishin." Daichi growled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin guffawed. "Wanna bet?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're on." </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The inspiration for this fic is high!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. A Prelude</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A prelude to the meeting.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I meant to start the meeting in this chapter but the contents got away from me. So next chapter it is.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The week of the support group meeting, Daichi found himself looking forward to Saturday. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had been a challenging month to say the least. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi had been given time off work. A whole entire month given to grief, plan a funeral, hold said funeral, and get his life together. Was a month really all they could give him? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi was thankful to his Chief, who had called him several times per week, notifying him that he would give him as much time as he possibly could. But Daichi did not wish to take advantage of such kindness and generosity. And as a firefighter, Daichi was a valuable asset that was needed on the daily. One never truly knew when a fire could strike; much like tragedy, fire seemed to spring up unannounced and with a vengeance. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Thankfully, both his parents offered to care for Tobio so that Daichi could return to work. But Tobio did not seem to agree with the idea. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But you can’t go back to work!” Tobio’s wails bounced off the walls, echoing throughout the living space of the Sawamura household. Had their house always been this quiet?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tobio,” Daichi sighed, lowering himself to his knees before his son and meeting those tear filled blue eyes. “I have to go back to work. I wish I could stay with you everyday but I can’t. My Chief needs me back on the team. I have to go back and help people.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The other firefighters can help! You have to stay with me.” Tobio insisted, his frail arms wrapping around his father’s much larger bicep as he buried his face into the skin there. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But the other firefighters have to rest too. They need me to go back to work.” Daichi continued his reasoning, hoping that somehow his four year old son would understand. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” Tobio screamed. His face had turned a bright shade of red, eyes continuing to overflow with tears as he shook his head back and forth. “You have to stay with me, dad!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tobio’s voice cracked as he continued to beg and beg his father to “please stay” and “don’t leave me.” Each sentence hurt more and more. Daichi could hardly stand it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was glad he was already on the living room floor or else he would have collapsed onto his knees. Drawing his son close, he buried his own face into his son’s dark locks of hair and inhaled. He wanted to cry but he also wanted to put up a front, a brave face to show his son that he could be brave too. But he didn’t feel brave, didn’t feel strong or courageous.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi felt so, so tired. He wanted to sleep and never wake. And that thought scared him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He needed to continue, needed to push forward. He needed to live for his son. For Tobio. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And that notion opened the floodgates, causing Daichi to squeeze his eyes shut as a river of tears began to flood down his face. Angling his face away from his son’s hair so as to not stain his clothes with his crying, Daichi exhaled a shaky breath. A shaky breath that threatened to collapse into broken down sobs, but that Daichi held back with a clenched jaw. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You can’t leave. Don’t leave me, daddy.” Tobio whispered, sniffling wetly as he scrubbed a hand across his face. The action only seemed to further spread mucus and tears across his bright red face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not going to leave you, Tobio. Daddy is never going to leave you.” Daichi promised. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi didn’t have the heart to further reason with his four year old. He simply had to buy time for another day, for another chance to sit him down and explain that he had to work, that he had to leave for a few hours a day. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi didn’t have the heart to break his son’s heart any more than it already was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have to eat something, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tada</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Asahi pleaded, hoping the nickname would work. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When Tadashi had been much younger and unable to form the complexity of his own name, he had happily gurgled “tada!”. His parents had laughed over the cuteness before promptly replacing the words of Peek-a-boo to “Ta-Dah!” Asahi would cover both eyes with his hands before promptly exclaiming “ta-dah!” as he uncovered his face. Tadashi had laughed and laughed, thus the nickname had stuck. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tada, it’s your favorite. Strawberry pancakes, some tasty syrup, and a glass of strawberry milk.” Asahi nudged the plate closer to the edge of the table. He had placed the two small pancakes on Tadashi’s favorite green frog plate and had even set out the matching frog fork and sippy cup. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Tadashi simply returned to playing with his frog toys. He was kneeled before the coffee table, eyes downcast as he animatedly moved the toys back and forth across the wood surface. Sighing, Asahi scooped up the plate, the fork, and cup and placed the three items back onto the kitchen table. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Today was one of Tadashi’s “off days”. Asahi didn’t know if it was right to call them that but he didn’t have any other term to describe the days his son refused to eat or even interact with him. It was an endless cycle of days where Tadashi would keep to himself before returning to his father’s side in order to be fed and promptly doted on. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Today, Tadashi would ignore him. Asahi should have been used to the new normal but it still pained him regardless. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Turning to his phone, Asahi re-read the invitation from Takeda that Daichi had forwarded and sighed. The support group meeting couldn’t come any sooner. Asahi only hoped the other parents would be able to help ease his fears and offer him useful tips and advice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Placing his phone aside, Asahi returned his gaze to his son and frowned. “Are you sure you’re not hungry, Tadashi?” No answer, no look his way. “Okay, well I’ll leave the food out if you change your mind.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Slipping down the hallway to his studio space, a medium sized room filled to the brim with everything a fashion designer could ever need, Asahi set out to busy himself with work. Luckily for him, he could work from home as often as he wanted and only had to step into his actual workplace whenever a meeting was held or a big order needed to be collaborated on. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Settling on a stool, Asahi slipped his glasses on and leaned forward to begin sewing on the last of the rhinestones that the dress he was currently working on needed. He worked for several quiet moments before the sound of a chair scraping brought him out of his concentration. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rising to his feet and stepping out the room, Asahi tiptoed down the hall and poked his head around the corner. As he had guessed, Tadashi was seated at the kitchen table, happily gobbling up the two pancakes his father had made before taking a sip from his strawberry milk. Asahi squeezed his eyes shut, mumbled a silent prayer, before retreating back to his work space. Tadashi didn't need to know that his father had seen him eat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Asahi could not wholeheartedly return to his task. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Why did Tadashi refuse to eat in his presence? Why did Asahi have to leave his food out and leave the room entirely for him to eat? Did he not like the way his father sat with him and made idle chatter? Did he not like being told that he should eat a little more? What was Asahi doing wrong? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Was it Asahi? Was his son finally realizing that it was Asahi’s fault that Tadashi’s mom left? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Did Tadashi finally come to the realization that his mother was never returning? All because Asahi had been too much of a coward to beg her to stay? To beg her to reconsider, to make her realize that she could be a good mother and that Tadashi needed her? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Did his son already hate him? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Removing his glasses and pressing a hand to his mouth, Asahi could not hold back his tears. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>How had he already failed as a father? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With that thought, he bent forward and pressed another hand against his mouth, begging his body to hold back his sobs so that his son could not hear. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So that his son could not hear how much of a failure he was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blinking back tears, Keishin pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes and groaned. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn laptop,” he grumbled as he pulled his hands back and blinked repeatedly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had been hunched forward at the kitchen table, scrolling through countless websites, looking at a number of houses on the market, and apartments for rent. The brightness of the laptop, the lack of a blue light filter, and the hours spent staring at a screen had certainly done a number on his already dry eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you tired, dad?” Hitoka’s soft voice called from her seat across from him. She was once again coloring in her favorite coloring book, crayons neatly arranged besides the book as she blinked up at him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s just the laptop, sweetie.” Keishin reassured her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In truth, he was tired. He had woken at dawn every morning to drive down to the small plot of land he owned in order to tend to his garden before returning home in time to be there when Hitoka woke. Gods knows how she would react to an empty house and a missing father. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once they both ate breakfast and Hitoka was dressed for the day, Keishin drove her down to his grandfather’s house. Ikkei Ukai was always delighted to see his great-granddaughter. With Hitoka out of his hands, Keishin drove down to his family’s mini mart and opened up for the day. He worked until closing time most days and then went to pick Hitoka back up before finally getting back home. Dinner was then another task to be tackled as well as laundry and any other chore that presented itself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But the past week had been dedicated to looking for houses or apartments. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin had already contacted his realtor and they were preparing to put his house on the market. But he wanted to make certain he found a place to move to before officially putting his house up for sale. He wanted the perfect place for Hitoka and him. A home that wasn’t far as it needed to be close enough to both his grandfather’s place and the mini mart. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin hadn’t told Hitoka they were moving as he didn’t need the extra stress from Hitoka panicking over the move. It wasn’t fair for him to keep it from her but he knew this would be good for the both of them. After all, he had vowed to her that her mother wouldn’t be able to find them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin planned on selling this morbid house with its bad memories of his failed marriage and his ex-wife and then he would move away. He would move somewhere his ex wouldn’t be able to find them and he would finally be at peace. Or so he hoped. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hitoka sweetie, let’s say you got to pick something to add to our house, what would you pick?” Keishin hoped his question was worded properly, hoped Hitoka wouldn’t catch on to his silent planning. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Red crayon in hand, Hitoka paused from her coloring once more and looked at her father. A slow blink signified she was thinking. “Hmm...a big backyard!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That ruled out apartments as most did not have any yard space. Quickly closing a few windows, Keishin updated his searches before nodding. “Anything else?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“A gate!” Hitoka exclaimed rather cheerfully,</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“A gate?” Keishin questioned. Most children were not overly excited about the idea of a gate. Then again, his daughter was not like most children.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah! It keeps intruders out and it protects us and our house.” Hitoka explained. Around her father, she was brilliant, bubbly, and carefree. She was a proper four year old. But the added presence of strangers morphed her into the shy, reserved, and anxious little girl his ex-wife had created. Her answer was yet another sign that Hitoka’s mother had gravely affected her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you not like that our house doesn’t have a gate?’ Keishin inferred, his mouse clicking away as he narrowed his searches yet again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Not really,” Hitoka made a face, her eyes glazing over as her mind wandered away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How about we make a banana split?” Keishin quickly changed the topic, stopping his daughter’s mind from stealing her away. “I bought us more cherries!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah! Can we have more sprinkles too?’ Hitoka exclaimed as she began to carefully put her crayons back into the box, closing her coloring book. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course we can.” Keishin closed his laptop and swept it away before beginning to scavenge the kitchen for the ingredients needed to make a banana split. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he set out item after item, he forced himself to not think about what Hitoka had said. Forced himself to not consider that Hitoka was fearful of someone intruding into their home. Forced himself to not think that the intruder looked very much like his ex-wife to him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Hitoka joined him in the kitchen, settling carefully onto a stool in order to reach the kitchen island, Keishin began to scoop out their favorite ice cream, chocolate chip. The task itself seemed to work to steer both father and daughter’s minds away from the constant negative thoughts that plagued them both. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And as they both worked side by side to make their banana split, everything felt well, felt normal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Putting the last of the kitchen items carefully into the large cardboard box, Koushi taped it shut and used a marker to label it accordingly. Everything was finally packed away and ready to be moved into their new place. As he stepped back to survey the utter emptiness of the apartment, Koushi couldn’t help but finally feel a sense of freedom. Some unimaginable weight had been pressing down on him for so long and now it was finally lifting. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spinning away, Koushi couldn’t help but do a little dance as he stepped into the hallway and made his way down to Kei’s small bedroom. He was finally leaving this place behind. He was finally moving away from the place formerly known as home. Memories and ghosts of his soon-to-be ex-wife could no longer haunt him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had only been three weeks since Koushi’s wife had finally come clean about her affair and about her intent to move to Shanghai with her new boyfriend. She had left not long after that, her things already neatly packed and ready to be shipped off to a new country. She thought she was going to be able to leave with a simple kiss placed to Kei’s blonde locks. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But their son had surprised them both immensely. Kei wasn’t much for overreacting, rather he preferred to speak quietly and matter-of-factly. But the minute his mother tried to step out the front door with her new boyfriend, Kei had thrown himself at her, screaming that she couldn’t leave him. He screamed and wailed, all three adults staring down at him in shock. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When Koushi’s senses finally returned to him, he had sprang forward to pull Kei away from the woman who chose to abandon him. Koushi had held on as Kei’s little fists pounded against his arms, trying to pry himself free. Koushi’s wife had blinked back tears, a sentiment Koushi hadn’t thought possible of her after her cold dismissal of both husband and son. Her new boyfriend had simply sighed in exasperation before grasping her arm and tugging her out of the apartment without a word. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kei had then fallen with his father to the kitchen floor, crying and wailing about why his mother was leaving. Why was she leaving them? Did he do something wrong?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you did nothing wrong. Do you hear me? You did nothing wrong.” Koushi had to reassure his son, smoothing his hand over his son’s golden locks. Kei hadn’t cried since. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even now as Koushi observed him from the doorway of his bedroom, Kei simply placed dinosaur after dinosaur into the cardboard box decorated with dinosaur stickers. His son had decorated the box itself after fearing that his toys would be lost amidst the sea of similar looking cardboard boxes. As if finally sensing his father’s presence, Kei glanced up and fixed his glasses. Koushi could have sworn he saw tears gleaming in his son’s eyes but a stoic expression soon settled over him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>‘Almost done packing?” Koushi questioned. Despite only being four years old, Kei had begged to pack his own things, ever the independent child. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kei nodded mutely before returning to his task. Stepping into the room, Koushi began to open drawers, double checking that he had packed away every item of clothing that belonged to his son. He then went to the closet but found the small space empty. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Turning back to face his son, Koushi marveled at how quickly his son’s demeanor had changed. While Koushi had busied himself with searching for forgotten items, Kei had begun to cry silent tears that snaked down his cheeks and joined at his chin. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lowering himself to his knees before his son, Koushi frowned. “What’s the matter, baby?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kei huffed at the use of the nickname before dabbing at his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. “Do we have to move?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I know it’s hard but you’ll love our new place. It has a balcony overlooking the city and we can see the sun rise and set everyday. Oh and we’ll have Kiyoko and baby Hisashi as our roommates. Isn’t that exciting?’ Koushi rambled on about their new place, hoping to find something that would excite his son. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Sugawara’s would, in fact, be moving in with Kiyoko and her four-month old. The apartment was much larger and nicer than both of their previous places and there was a balcony with an amazing view. It was located in a beautiful area surrounded by parks and surprisingly, it was located much closer to the Tanaka’s Cafe than their previous address. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was also a short drive away to the kindergarten that Koushi worked at and relatively close to the sports store that Kiyoko was a manager of. It was the perfect place to live, close to grocery stores, restaurants, and reliable daycare centers that could care for their children whilst they both worked. Being four, Kei would still be able to attend the same nursery school that he was previously enrolled in. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh! You’ll have your own room again! It’s much bigger than this room. We could get you more dinosaurs to fill all the new space!” Koushi beamed at his son and watched as Kei wiped the last of tears before raising his gaze. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I get dinosaur stickers to put on my walls?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course! How about glow-in-the-dark stickers so you can see them at night?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And just like that, Kei’s smile returned. A small, timid grin that stretched across his lips as he placed his last dinosaur away into the box. Koushi carefully taped it shut before carrying it to the living room where all the other boxes waited to be moved. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His son trailed after him, a green brontosaurus plush clenched tightly in a small fist. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Dad, will there really be other kids at the group on Saturday?” Kei questioned, seating himself on the couch and bringing his toy up to eye level. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes! Ryu, remember him from the coffee shop? He’s bringing his baby and so is Kiyoko. Chikara will be there and so will three other boys and one girl. They’re four, like you.” Seating himself next to his son, Koushi wrapped an arm around his shoulders and held him close. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think they like dinosaurs too?” Kei asked timidly, his fingers closing around the plush’s tail. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What kid doesn’t like dinosaurs?” Koushi exclaimed, laughing. “And I’m sure they’ll tell you all about the things they like too. But make sure you’re nice about what they like.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Kei rolled his eyes before abruptly laughing as Koushi began to tickle his sides. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you roll your eyes at me, young man!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As father and son’s laughter filled the nearly empty apartment, it was almost easy to forget about how they each had been abandoned and cast aside by the woman who claimed to always love them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Friday night, the day before the first ever official “Support Group for Single Parents”, Takeda lay away in bed, eyes glued to the ceiling. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everything was set for tomorrow. The location was secure and the meeting room reserved. The catering had been taken care of and Takeda had already assembled an assortment of toys that could entertain a bunch of four year olds and keep them busy while their parents talked and discussed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And most importantly, his invitations had been accepted. Actual parents had accepted his invite to the meeting and had confirmed with him that they would be attending. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A bout of nerves suddenly overwhelmed Takeda, forcing him to rise into a seated position and hunch forward. Breathing through his nose and exhaling through his mouth, he tried to calm his suddenly frazzled nerves and jumbled thoughts. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ll be fine. It’ll be fine.” Takeda repeated over and over, squeezing his eyes shut when a bout of nausea threatened him. “These parents need this. They’re counting on you.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>They’re counting on you. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eyes opening, Takeda steeled his expression and tightened both hands into fists. These single parents were counting on him to assemble this group of people in similar situations. They were counting on him to bring them a sense of normalcy, to make them feel like they were not alone in this daunting task of raising a child on their own. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I can do this.” Takeda whispered into the night as he laid back down and closed his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had to. He had people counting on him and Ittetsu Takeda would not let them down.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Will I ever make Daichi and Tobio stop crying? </p>
<p>Who knows.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A Support Group</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Support Group for Single Parents holds their first ever meeting.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Daichi, Asahi, and Keishin decided to carpool to the support group. They took Asahi’s car as he was the only one of the three men to own a minivan with ample enough space for all three men and their three children. Daichi and Keishin used to tease Asahi for owning a minivan. After all, Asahi’s family had been a small one of three so a minivan for a vehicle made no sense. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you have a soccer team to drive around?” Keishin used to tease, lips twitching into his signature smirk. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But Asahi had claimed the vehicle would come in handy if he ever needed to drive more than his wife and son. Now, it was only the two of them and the minivan had seemed silly, until now. Daichi was driving as Asahi had been too nervous to drive to a new location he was unfamiliar with. Keishin had offered to drive but Daichi had refused with a grumbled “You are a menace to society.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin had begrudgingly taken the passenger seat but seemed hellbent on observing their surroundings for any so-called “kidnappers” and “men in white trucks.” He still believed the meeting was a scam and was prepared to crack skulls if they were suddenly bombarded by maniacs. The thought alone had caused Asahi’s anxiety to flare and so Daichi had quickly taken the keys from him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tobio, Tadashi, and Hitoka were all securely strapped in their car seats in the minivan’s middle row. Tobio was directly behind the driver’s seat in order to be the closest he possibly could be to his father. Hitoka was seated in the middle, content to be surrounded on either side by her two close friends. Tadashi was seated in the seat behind the passenger seat, eyes looking out the window. Asahi had the entirety of the back row to himself, free to fret and worry to his heart’s content. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Karasuno Community Center,” Daichi read the signage directly outside the large glass building. Pulling into the lot, he found an open space besides a few cars already parked. “Looks like the other parents are already here.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm..” Keishin mused aloud, his mouth scrunching up into an unamused expression. It was clear he had been hoping for the whole event to be a scam in order to prove his friends wrong and to have his Saturday afternoon free again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Looks like you owe me twenty dollars,” Daichi teased as he shut the car off and undid his seatbelt. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We haven’t gotten inside yet. Perhaps the scam starts then.” Keishin remarked with a huff as he too climbed out of the car. Together, Daichi and Keishin slid open the back doors and began to undo the straps securing Tobio and Tadashi in their seats. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asahi was forced to clamber over the back seat and pop open the trunk in order to get out of the vehicle. He retrieved the three small backpacks in the trunk, carrying them in both arms before slamming the trunk shut. As Asahi rounded the car to the driver’s side, he handed Daichi his son’s backpack, a deep blue one dotted with happy puppies, before heading to the other side of the van. Tadashi sidled over to his father as Asahi handed Keishin Hitoka’s pink flower backpack. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Securing Tadashi’s own green frog backpack onto his son’s back, Asahi grasped his hand and turned to survey the friendly yet intimidating building behind him. As a community center, it had been designed to look as friendly and nice as possible. But Asahi was still fearful to enter. What if the other parents thought him a terrible father? What if they refused to let him join?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Keishin called out in a soft voice, placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “You’re overthinking again. It’ll be fine, Daichi and I got you.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Daichi rounded the minivan with Tobio’s hand in his own, he met Asahi’s gaze and smiled. “You’ll always have Keishin and I to look out for you, Asahi. That’s what best friends are for.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asahi smiled timidly, some of his nerves fading away as he took in both their gazes. They would have his back. He was sure of it. With a small nod, Asahi began to walk with his two best friends towards the entrance of the community center. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Inside, it was brightly lit and decorated with bright paint and posters announcing all the different activities and groups offered at the community center. There was even a receptionist who smiled as she greeted them before directing them down the hall to the left where their meeting would take place. All three men and children made their way down the spacious hallway and found two glass double doors at the opposite end. A large whiteboard had been erected outside, the words “Support Group for Single Parents” written in bubbly blue marker. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ready?” Daichi asked, meeting both Keishin and Asahi’s gazes before meeting Tobio’s. Keishin rolled his eyes and grumbled while Asahi nervously bit down on his lip. Hitoka was clinging to her father’s leg while Tadashi looked on with a bored expression. Tobio simply puffed his chest and nodded. What a sight they made as they slowly made their way into the surprisingly large meeting room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Glass windows lined the back wall, providing them an ample view of the parking lot and the park next door. The left side of the meeting room had been converted into a kids play area with a large comfy carpet, two couches facing a mounted television on a kids friendly channel, and a multitude of toys littered across the carpet and spilling over from a nearby toy bin. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a banquet table before the windows, lined with trays of sandwiches, fruit, vegetables, cheese, crackers, ham, water bottles, and pitchers of lemonade. There was even a section dedicated to cookies and brownies. The right side of the meeting room was where party chairs had been neatly arranged into a semi circle facing a mounted whiteboard. The whiteboard was littered with ideas for discussion and a list of all the parents’ names and contact information. It seemed as if Takeda truly wanted every single parent to have the chance to befriend or reach out to one another. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Each chair, but three, were occupied by the rest of the group’s parents. Only one of five of the parents seated was a woman, the rest being men. Daichi cleared his throat and all pairs of eyes fell onto the newcomers. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, welcome!” A sharply dressed man with glasses exclaimed as he stood and crossed the space to greet them. “I’m Ittetsu Takeda, the creator of this support group. Thank you so much for attending.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks for inviting us,” Daichi replied, reaching out to shake the man’s hand. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, join us with your children. We want to get introductions out of the way to allow the kids to play before us parents get talking.” Takeda motioned them over to the open seats. Daichi, Keishin, and Asahi each took a seat, pulling their respective children onto their laps. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wish to thank you and welcome you all for attending the first ever ‘Support Group for Single Parents’. My name is Ittetsu Takeda. I personally extended an invitation to everyone here and prepared today’s meeting. I do hope we can continue this group the following Saturday.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda bowed  as he stood before the whiteboard then motioned to the tall boy seated in the chair besides him. “This is my son, Chikara. He is six years old.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good afternoon,” Chikara stood and briskly bowed before settling back into his chair. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Now, I would like my two dear friends to introduce themselves and their children.” Takeda announced, motioning to the woman and a silver haired man. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The woman stood and bowed respectfully. “I am Kiyoko Shimizu and I am here with my four, closing in on five, month old son, Hisashi.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As she sat back down, the silver haired man eagerly stood and nudged his son to stand with him. “Hello everyone. Thank you for attending my friend’s meeting. I really appreciate it. I am Koushi Sugawara and this is my four year old son, Kei.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello,” Kei mumbled, bowing halfway before quickly sitting back down. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Perfect. Why don’t you two go next?” Takeda said, facing two men who were seated in the chairs between Daichi’s group and Takeda’s group. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello!” The bright haired son of the shorter man called, bouncing to his feet. “I’m four years old! My name is Shoyo!” Everyone laughed at his eagerness before calling back greetings.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you’ve already met my son. I am Yu Nishinoya.” The short man stood and bowed, placing his hand proudly on his son’s shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And I’m Ryuunoske Tanaka and this is my six month old son, Kazuhito. Feel free to call me Ryu.” The man with the buzzcut called out as he bounced the happy boy on his knee. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Perfect. You three can go next.” Takeda instructed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi stood first and placed Tobio in front of him, hands on his shoulders. “Hello everyone. My name is Daichi Sawamura and this is my son, Tobio, who is four.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin stood next, face expressionless as Hitoka clung to his jeans. “My name is Keishin Ukai and this is my four year old daughter, Hitoka.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asahi stood slowly, hand grasping his son’s as he cleared his throat. “I am Asahi Azumane and this is my son, Tadashi. He is also four.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once everyone was seated again, Takeda pointed across the room to where the play area had been formed. “With introductions out of the way, I thought maybe the kids would like to go play while we begin our discussion.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chikara was the first to stand, moving to the center of the group and meeting each of the children’s eyes. “Do you guys wanna play?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes!” Shoyo exclaimed, rushing forward to grasp Chikara’s hand in his own. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure,” Tadashi moved away from his father but stopped, turning to face his own two friends. “Come on Hitoka and Tobio. Let’s see what toys they have.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hiroka met her father’s eyes and waited for his nod before she sidled over to Tadashi and grabbed his hand. Tobio didn’t look like he wanted to join them but Daichi nudged his shoulder. With an exaggerated sigh, he crossed over and joined the group of children as they began to make their way to the play area. Chikara had already become the unofficial leader and when he paused, all the kids waited. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you coming with us?” Chikara questioned Kei. Kei made a face but when his father poked him in the cheek, he too ended up joining the group’s journey to the other side of the room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The parents watched as the children slowly settled onto the carpet and began to rummage around, searching for a toy that they liked best to play with. As their quiet conversation filled the air, Takeda took his own seat at the head of the group and cleared his throat to gather their attention.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Very well then,” Nervously, he adjusted the glasses on his face. “This next part might not be so fun. But I wanted each of us to share our stories so that we may all understand how each of us came to be single parents. If you would also like to share why you decided to attend today’s meeting, then feel free.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“As the group’s leader, I will go first.” Clasping his hands together, Takeda smiled softly. “A year ago, my wife died after a year long battle with breast cancer. It was a challenging thing to go through and I often wondered if anything I did as a parent was right. This constant fear and worry made me wish I had others who I could confide in. Having Kiyoko and Koushi as my two best friends definitely helped but I couldn’t help but wonder if there were parents who didn’t have someone to share their experiences. Thus, my idea for this group was born.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wanted to bring single parents together to show each other that we are not alone and that there are others going through similar situations.” Takeda’s smile only grew the more he talked. It was clear to all that this man before them was serious and that he was determined to make this support group last and do what it promised to do.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Daichi,” The leader of the group turned to face the man to his left. “You were who I thought of when I decided to form this group. I heard what happened to your wife in the paper and being a widower myself, I couldn’t help but see the parallels.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi nodded before turning to meet the eyes on him. “Yes, I recently lost my own wife. A drunk driver slammed into her car while she was heading home from work and left the scene.” Lowering his eyes, Daichi squeezed both hands into fists and willed back his tears. He didn’t want to cry in front of a group of strangers that he just met. He didn’t want to be pitied. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asahi’s hand on his shoulder calmed him as he raised his gaze and smiled through his tears. “It’s really affected my son, Tobio, the most. He doesn’t want to be anywhere without me. I can’t even go to the bathroom on my own without him crying over not being able to see me. I think, I think he’s afraid he’s going to lose me too.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Extending a box of tissues towards Daichi, Takeda nodded. “Chikara was the same way. He isn’t much older than your son but he was around the same age when my wife passed. He used to be so quiet, never wanting to talk to me or anyone. But, when I began to talk to him like he wasn’t a child and when I asked if he could do tasks that are usually reserved for adults, he began to change. He wanted to prove that he could accomplish these tasks on his own. Now, I am by no means telling you to do the same. I simply wanted to share something I did and that worked.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nodding, Daichi wiped at his eyes with the tissue. “Thanks. But what I’m worried about, at the moment, is going back to work. I’m a firefighter so I know I’ll be gone for hours on end and Tobio already threw a tantrum when I told him about going back to work.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, that is tough.” Koushi sympathized as he offered Daichi a small smile. “Do you have someone who can take care of Tobio for you? Or is he already enrolled in a kindergarten or nursery school?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“My parents have already agreed to care for him. My in-laws offered to care for him whenever my parents can’t. My wife and I had been planning on choosing a school for him but… we never got around to it.” Daichi smiled sadly, grabbing a second tissue, thoroughly embarrassed that he was already crying at the first meeting. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Please feel free to vent and cry as much as you need to.” Takeda announced, meeting each of the parents’ eyes. “It might be embarrassing in the moment but crying is a natural and healthy reaction. Please don’t force yourself to hold it in.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t mean to be a bother. But I work at a kindergarten and Kei is already enrolled there. So if you, or anyone else, wants the information about the kindergarten or if you need help to enroll your child, please let me know.” Koushi offered, glancing about the group before returning his kind gaze to Daichi. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After blinking back a few more tears, Daichi smiled softly and nodded. “I’d appreciate that. Thank you.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Takeda settled back in his seat, he smiled. This is what he had envisioned: a steady flow of conversation and parents offering to help one another. This was the perfect start. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As the children settled themselves onto the carpet, Chikara moved to position himself at the head of the group with a perfect view of each child. He might only be six years old, but the rest of these kids were only four; therefore, Chikara had decided that he would be the perfect role model. He knew how important this group was to his dad and he didn’t want to let him down. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Studying each child, Chikara was astonished to find that, despite him being the oldest, he was not the tallest. Kei was the tallest, towering over the rest of the children with his long limbs. Tobio was the second tallest with Tadashi following closely behind, their height difference barely noticeable. That made Chikara the fourth tallest. Hinata and Yachi were the shortest in the group. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“My dad bought all these toys and said everyone can pick one to take home. The rest will be here everytime our parents meet up.” Chikara explained as he tugged the toy bin over and motioned towards all the toys inside. “Go ahead and pick.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Shoyo immediately bounced over, his hands rummaging around in the bin. “Wow! These toys are so cool!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hitoka, what toy do you want?” Tadashi questioned as he crouched besides the bin. He glanced over to the small girl in question, well aware that she was too shy to approach the bin herself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Any toy is fine,” Hitoka mumbled, not wanting to be a bother as she twiddled her thumbs together. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm.. how about this teddy bear?” Tadashi offered, lifting a crocheted brown teddy bear out. It was medium sized and had black eyes with a bright red ribbon tied around its neck. “He looks like he could use a friend.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hitoka’s eyes seemed to widen in awe as she studied the teddy bear that Tadashi extended towards her. Carefully, she reached out for it and balanced it in her lap, fingers drifting over the soft fabric. Her expression soon shifted into one of utter joy as she lifted her gaze and smiled brightly. “Thank you Tadashi!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re welcome,” Tadashi returned her smile with his own before he turned to face Tobio. “Your turn, Tobio. What toy do you want?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tobio remained silent but his eyes drifted over to the teddy bear in Hitoka’s lap. Tadashi noticed and turned to see if perhaps another stuffed or crocheted toy was inside the bin. But it seemed as Shoyo beat him to it. The bright haired child was holding up a large stuffed blue dog, a proud grin on his features. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Look! This looks like the dogs on your backpack!” Shoyo exclaimed as he stood and raced over to Tobio’s side. Practically shoving the stuffed dog into the other’s face, Shoyo laughed. “I like dogs too. They’re really cute! But cats are also cute too!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tobio did not seem to know how to respond to the rambunctious child. He simply reached out to take the stuffed dog from him, blue eyes studying the plush before he hugged it to his chest. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You like it, huh?” Shoyo beamed, patting the stuffed dog’s head. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tadashi watched the interaction with a small grin before deciding it was time to search for his own toy. When he faced the toy bin again, Kei had just pulled out a T-Rex toy. It was bright red and could stand on its own. The other kid was looking at the toy as if he had just hit the jackpot. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You like dinosaurs?” Tadashi questioned as he tilted his head to the side. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kei jumped, not having realized he was being watched. He had planned on picking a toy while the other kids had been distracted and hadn’t expected to be questioned about his obsession with dinosaurs. Placing the medium sized toy before him, he fixed his glasses, needing a distraction while he answered. “Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tadashi nodded. He was used to short and simple answers, both Hitoka and Tobio weren’t much for conversations. So far, Shoyo seemed to be the first kid he met who loved to talk and talk. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kei had stood and was about to retreat to a corner of the carpet with his toy but Tadashi decided that for once, he would try to hold a conversation with someone else. “I like frogs!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kei looked at him, surprised that someone had decided to keep talking to him. Most kids he interacted with were usually annoying or did not want to interact with him. Blinking, he studied Tadashi in silence before glancing at the toy bin. “We could look for a frog.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay!” Tadashi grinned. It worked! He had actually held a conversation! Still smiling, he joined Kei at the toy bin as they began to rummage around for a toy frog. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By some form of luck, the pair of boys found a bright green and yellow stuffed frog with a pink tongue sticking out the side of its mouth. Tadashi had contained the high pitched squeal he wanted to release upon the discovery, he didn't want to scare away his new friend. What if Kei thought him strange for getting so excited over a simple frog toy? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Placing his hands protectively over the frog's cheeks, Tadashi beamed up at his newfound friend. "Thank you for helping me look, Kei."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Tsukishima," Kei remarked, blinking to hide his clear embarrassment. "It's my middle name. I like it better than Kei." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tadashi's mouth fell open into a surprised expression. Was he already at the nickname stage of his friendship? "Tsukish...tsukish…" Tadashi flushed, how was he struggling over the name. If he couldn't pronounce it, how could he even call himself a friend? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Tsukki…" The word left his mouth before Tadashi could pull it back in. It was nowhere close to his friend's true middle name. Embarrassed, he lifted his shoulders to his ears and hid his face into his toy frog's stomach. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's fine. My middle name is pretty hard to say. You can call me Tsukki if you want, I don't mind." Kei turned his face away, hiding the pleased expression that settled onto his features. The first day of the meeting and he already had a nickname! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Really?" Peering over his frog, Tadashi smiled widely, light eyes shining. "Okay, Tsukki!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kei, newly christened Tsukki, hid his own happy smile as he picked up the red T-Rex toy. "Do you want to hear a dinosaur fact?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Kei and Tadashi began to trade dinosaur and frog facts, Shoyo took the opportunity to drag the toy bin closer to where he was seated. Chikara had simply plucked a stuffed white rabbit from the top of the pile and had settled down besides Hitoka to play. The ever reserved girl had quickly transformed into the talkative girl she became when Chikara had asked if she wanted to be friends. Now the pair were holding an animated conversation as their collective stuffed toys, Hitoka talking in a high pitched tone while Chikara pitched his way lower. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Look Tobio!" Shoyo yelled, despite the fact the boy in question was right beside him. Tobio grimaced at the sound but looked to see what the orange haired boy wanted. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I found an orange dog! It looks like your dog but in a different color. Maybe they're brothers!" Shoyo screeched as he waved the toy in the air then hugged it to his chest. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tobio sighed. Great, now they had matching toys. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Who would like to go next?" Takeda questioned once Daichi had composed himself and was no longer crying. The leader of the group had thought it important to let everyone have a moment to breathe before moving into the next discussion. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll go," Kiyoko chimed in, helping her friend by moving the conversation along. "About a month ago, my boyfriend decided that he didn't want to be a part of our son's life and left." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That bastard," Ryu and Yu hissed at the same time. A quiet chuckle went around the group as the pair of friends sheepishly realized they had been louder than they thought. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry," Ryu apologized, cheeks coloring a light shade of pink. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh no, he definitely is a bastard." Kiyoko remarked, lips twitching into a grin. "But I'm glad he's gone. He was never the best partner. Hisashi and I are better off without him." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Now, I've realized that Kiyoko and Ryu both have similar tales," Takeda mused out loud. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, Kazuhito's mother was never my girlfriend or anything more really." Ryu began to explain, eyes lowering to the ground. He suddenly felt embarrassed telling these people that he had never planned to be a father and that his fatherhood came out of a one night stand. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We're not here to judge, Ryu." Takeda was quick to console him, causing Ryu to lift his gaze. "We all have had different experiences and situations. This group is never going to judge you nor anyone else for that matter." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Exactly! We are only here to help each other and make each other's lives easier." Koushi exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across his face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nodding, Ryu had gained the confidence to continue his story. "Well, Kazuhito's mother never told me she was pregnant and that I was the father. I woke to find a baby on my doorstep and now I'm a father." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I always pictured being a father. But I imagined myself married to a beautiful woman and living in a big house where we could raise two or three kids. But, I also wouldn't change any of this. Being Kazuhito's father has been the greatest thing that has ever happened to me." As if on cue, Kazuhito let out a happy gurgle, causing the group to laugh. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Emboldened by his friend's tale, Yu sat up straighter and spoke. "Like my friend here, I also dreamed of being a dad with a big house and a big happy family…. Instead, I got my ex-wife." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin was the only one to let out a big laugh, head thrown back and the first sign of a smile on his face. "Oh, I can relate." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Please go on and then Keishin can share his similarities," Takeda encouraged them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, my ex-wife and I got married pretty young and Shoyo came not long after. We both were definitely too young and naive. We weren't ready to be parents together." Yu's brows furrowed as he crossed both arms over his chest. "But I somehow became the responsible one. I worked, I paid the bills, I did the chores around the house, and I raised my son the best I could. Meanwhile, my ex-wife thought that meant she could walk all over me and go out partying and drinking whenever she damn well pleased." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you sure we didn't marry the same woman?" Keishin joked, leaning forward to settle his elbows onto both knees. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"In my case, Hitoka came first and then my wife and I got married." Keishin seemed to grimace from the memory alone. "Our families were old fashioned, they thought you should be married if you had a kid together. And foolishly enough, I listened." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Was your ex-wife just like mine?" Yu's brows arched upwards. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"If by that you mean an alcoholic who decided to endanger our daughter's life by driving drunk?" The group let out collective gasps as Keishin's hands curled into fists. "The only reason Hitoka wasn't more injured is because I taught her how to buckle herself into her car seat. Her mother often forgot to strap her in before driving off." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's the reason Hitoka is the way she is around strangers, timid and scared. Her mother used to take her to the bar and she often tagged along with her drunk friends. I was busy working and like a fool, I thought my wife and daughter were safe at home. I never could have imagined what Hitoka was experiencing and now, twice a week, I get to hear what she went through with the therapist we've been seeing for more than a year."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Poor baby," Koushi whispered. The rest of the group nodded their agreement. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"My ex-wife used to leave Shoyo home alone. His way to cope is to talk to anyone and everyone. It's why he hates being left alone to this date." Yu explained. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As an awkward silence settled over the group from the two rather dramatic tales, Koushi quickly pulled the attention towards himself with a rather loud "My wife cheated on me!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>All heads swung his way, seven pairs of eyes settling on his flushed expression. "I sort of knew what was going on but I never said anything, up until a month ago. She then admitted that, yes,  she was cheating on me. Then she proceeded to drop the bombshell that she was moving in with him to Shanghai." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wow, and she left just like that?" Keishin inquired. "Did she just disregard that she was a mother?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Pretty much," Koushi nodded, shrugging. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Your wife could definitely be added to the list of Bad Mothers." Keishin remarked, laughing at his own joke. Takeda flushed at the statement, he certainly hadn't expected the man who seemed to be brought to the support group against his will to be the most talkative. And to be so carefree with his statements and jokes! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, she most certainly is." Koushi agreed, pleased to have someone on his side. "But, she is well on the way to being my ex-wife. I already have my lawyers drafting up the divorce papers."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Smart man," Keishin smirked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Correct me if I'm wrong but, Asahi aren't you also currently going through a divorce?" Takeda turned to look at the one parent in question. He hadn't spoken since his introduction at the beginning of the meeting and Takeda was determined to get him talking. Perhaps the similar situation between Koushi and Asahi would help form a friendship. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, uh, yes," Asahi's face had turned a surprisingly bright shade of red, his eyes avoiding the stares directed his way. He thought he could simply sit and listen for the first meeting. He hadn't expected for the attention to drift in his direction. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Reaching over, Daichi nudged Asahi’s shoulder before giving his arm an encouraging squeeze. The action from his best friend seemed to settle Asahi as he raised his gaze and looked about the room. His eyes settled on Yu and to his surprise, the shorter man offered him a polite smile and a thumbs up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Visibly relaxing further, Asahi cleared his throat and tried again. "I have already signed the divorce papers and sent them to our lawyers. I now have full custody of Tadashi and I don't have to lose nor pay anything to my wife. She's, she's actually the one who has to pay me." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Is she the one who initiated the divorce?" Yu questioned, hoping that his question showed interest in what Asahi was saying. The poor man looked like he would faint any second. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes," Asahi lowered his eyes, hands clasped together before him. "She begged me to agree. She didn't think she would be a good mother. Four years of marriage and having a son didn't seem to deter that thought process." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm sad to hear that. The fear of being a parent can really hinder one's ability to raise a child. It seemed you made the right choice in accepting that." Takeda remarked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asahi blinked and raised his gaze. "I, I made the right choice?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course!" Koushi chimed in from across the room. "If you would have disagreed, your wife would have felt forced to stay and could have grown resentful towards you. In turn, that would have affected her relationship with your son." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But, what if I only made my son hate me?" Asahi's voice broke as a wave of tears spilled from his eyes.  "What if he hates me for driving his mom away?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh Asahi," Daichi sighed as he took the offered tissue box from Takeda and placed them in Asahi’s lap. Daichi was sad to hear this revelation. He knew Asahi worried that Tadashi blamed him for his mother's departure. But he never realized that Asahi feared his son hated him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You big baby," Keishin whispered good-naturedly as he placed a comforting hand on his friend’s back. "Your son could never hate you. He absolutely adores you. He's just getting used to the fact that his mother is out of the picture. That's all. He loves you." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I have to agree with Keishin." Takeda stated, flushing when Keishin shot him a wink. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"All of our children love us, just as we love them. Some may be too young to understand our situations but they're learning, adapting. We just have to be there for them, supporting them through the challenges we are each facing. It's all we can do as parents: love and support them unconditionally." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The circle of parents all turned to look at Takeda. His words had resonated with each of them. Not only was what he said true, but it further clarified that Ittetsu Takeda was the perfect man to lead this group.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well said, Sensei." Keishin spoke, lips curled into a crooked grin. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda flushed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This had certainly turned out to be quite the first meeting. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Apologies for the wait but I knew this chapter would have a high word count. The fear of such a high number made me postpone and delay even writing it. </p>
<p>But here it is, at long last.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. An Introduction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Apologies for the delay. I need to get a schedule for writing, editing, and posting this.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The sounds of quiet conversation and the sight of both parent and child enjoying the spread of food, snacks, and treats warmed Takeda as he surveyed everyone from his place by the windows. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After the successful discussion, Takeda had stood and thanked everyone for sharing their stories and for partaking in the first ever support group meeting. He had then motioned to the whiteboard where he had Kiyoko write down everyone's contact information before the meeting had started. Kiyoko's legible handwriting had been the prime choice to write down everyone's full names and phone numbers. Takeda had explained how he wanted every parent to store the information down in their cellphones in case of emergencies or in case anyone needed to reach out to one another. He was pleased when no complaints had arisen nor that none of the parents had found him too bold to request such a thing. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now, he watched as the catering he had ordered was happily gobbled down by pleased parents and hungry children. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kiyoko had Hisashi nestled in the crook of her arm, a bottle in hand as she fed him. She was seated on one of the couches in the makeshift kid area as the cushions were most comfortable to sit in and feed a hungry baby. Takeda was pleased to see that Chikara had seated himself besides Kiyoko, munching on baby carrots and watching the mother and child from the corner of his eye. It seemed as if Chikara had designated himself on Kiyoko and Hisashi duty, determined that the mother and child were kept company. Kiyoko seemed happy to chat with both boys, even if Hisashi couldn't speak and Chikara was too busy eating. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryu and Yu had pulled their chairs to the far side of the banquet table, gobbling down sandwich slices after sandwich slice. Takeda chuckled whenever Ryu's eyes wandered over to the lone woman in question, only to have his gaze drawn back by Kazhuito who seemed determined to have his father's eyes on him and only him. Yu only paused from gobbling food to chide Shoyo each time he stole another cookie whenever he believed his father to not be looking. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You've already eaten enough cookies! Eat a carrot." Yu would reprimand, only for Shoyo to retort. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's not for me! I'm bringing it to my best friend, Tobio!" Shoyo would shout, eyebrows settling into a comical scowl. Takeda couldn't help but notice how similar the father and son looked when glaring each other down. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The best friend in question, Tobio, seemed none too pleased about this declaration as he shoved blueberry after blueberry into his already blue stained mouth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Slow down there. You're going to choke." Daichi ordered as he lowered the sandwich he held in between both hands back to the plate he balanced in his lap. "And be nice. Shoyo said you're his best friend and that's not how best friends look at each other." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But you and Uncle Keishin always glare at each other," Tadashi stated from his place besides his father. Both Asahi and Tadashi were holding plastic cups filled with lemonade. Asahi simply giggled at his son's words before innocently smiling at Daichi when the other man glared. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hitoka seemed entertained by her two uncles interaction, small giggles escaping her lips as she nibbled on the end of a cookie. Keishin chuckled along with his daughter before promptly stuffing his face with a brownie. Takeda couldn't help but grimace at the action only to flush and turn away when he met the blonde man's stare. Keishin had simply smirked, a feat made only more impressive as his cheeks bulged outwards from the brownie. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda's eyes landed on Kei who stood before the banquet table and carefully arranged cheese and crackers onto his plastic plate as if he were some rich connoisseur determined to make his plate look appetizing. But Koushi was nowhere in sight. Where…? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"First meeting and you're already flirting, Ittetsu? My, my, I would have never suspected you of such a thing." Koushi's voice rang as he sidled up besides his friend. He was munching on a chocolate chip cookie but Takeda could still see the smirk that graced his friend's lips. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Flir-flirting?" Takeda spluttered, eyes widening behind his thick framed glasses. His face had quickly turned into a deep shade of red, clearly embarrassed at such an accusation.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You and the blonde with pierced ears." Koushi crooned, snickering. "Hmm...didn't think he'd be your type." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I never, I was not flirting." Takeda insisted as he glanced over at Keishin then back to Koushi. "I would never put this group in such a predicament. It would be entirely inappropriate for me to flirt with a member of our group." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well you should make sure to let him know that, because here he comes." Koushi winked at his longtime friend before gracefully slipping away, heading straight for the cookies. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What?" Takeda squeaked before turning to see that Keishin was indeed approaching. Eyes widening, he began to look for an escape before chastising himself. He was the leader of this support group! How would it look if he was so obviously avoiding a member? And on the first day! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sensei," Keishin called out as he stopped besides Takeda, his lips curled upwards into a devious smile. "I wanted to apologize for my comments and jokes made during the discussion. You looked ready to keel over every time I opened my mouth." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda flushed, eyes lowering to his shoes. Had he been that obviously distressed? Lifting his eyes once more, he chuckled. "No, no, I want everyone to be able to express themselves and share with us their thoughts and opinions. Although, it would be nice if you were a little more mindful. I don't mean to chastise you or silence you by any means, it's just..not everyone has the same coping methods or humor that you do…" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin chuckled, head tilting to the side. "Oh no, I understand. Plus, I should be more mindful that I barely met the adults here and the fact that the kids could have overhead my less than...kind statements." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda nodded. "Yes, that would be appreciated. Thank you for understanding." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But I also wanted to apologize for thinking this group was a scam and your intentions less than noble." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda blinked. "A scam?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah," To Takeda's surprise, Keishin looked remorseful. His eyes darted away as he lifted a hand and rubbed the back of his neck. "I now see how much effort you put into this group and I can see that you really do care and mean everything you say." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda beamed, his own eyes flicking away. He wasn't used to such praise and he found the attention awfully embarrassing albeit pleasing. "Well, thank you. I'm glad you think so and thank you for attending." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda bowed politely and Keishin was quick to return the polite gesture. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you really plan on holding the meetings every Saturday?" Keishin questioned, one eyebrow arched. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, for now. As a new group, I think it wise to hold meetings every week. As time passes and as the group progresses, I think every other week would be ideal." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin nodded, a hum leaving him. "Very well then. I look forward to seeing you next week." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The intensity of Keishin's gaze was… suffocating. Takeda choked on a cough as he flushed. How many times was he going to blush today? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes, I look forward to seeing you too. I mean, I look forward to seeing everyone, of course. And that would also include you…" Takeda rambled, his hands shaking as he adjusted his glasses. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin chuckled, a throaty sound as he waved a hand and began to walk back to his seat. "Oh I catch your meaning." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda blinked. His meaning? The newfound leader of the support group didn't even know what his own words meant.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>▪︎</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From his place by the banquet table, Koushi could pick up the quiet conversation shared between his dear friend and the pierced blonde. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was rather cute how oblivious Takeda could be and how he rambled and stumbled over his words. Keishin seemed far better equipped for the conversation but one glance and Koushi could see that he was just as nervous as his friend. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Interesting…" Koushi hummed as he tapped a perfectly manicured finger against his lower lip. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What's interesting?" A deep voice rumbled so suddenly from beside him that Koushi jumped and almost dropped the cookie he had just reached for.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you. I thought you heard me approach." Daichi apologized, bowing his head as he awkwardly reached back to rub the back of his head. Koushi noted this behavior before shaking his head. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh you're fine. I was just noting how badly our friends flirt." Koushi answered rather candidly as he motioned towards Takeda and Keishin, the latter of which was now moving back to his seat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi glanced over at the sight before chuckling. "I did think it rather odd for Keishin to be so chatty during the meeting. Perhaps he found a reason to participate." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ooh, this will certainly make meetings much more fun! Now that we got all the introductions and back stories out of the way, we can look forward to more animated conversations." Koushi chattered away as he broke off half of a cookie and handed the smaller half to Daichi. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Blinking in surprise, Daichi took the offered half of the cookie. "More animated conversations? Like which detergent is better for cleaning clothes and how to coupon like a pro?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi laughed loudly at the joke, throwing his head back as he did so. Daichi seemed startled by the sudden outburst. When was the last time he had made someone laugh so animatedly? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes! That is certainly the riveting conversation one has to look forward to in a support group meant strictly for single parents." Koushi grinned before biting into his cookie. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi bit into his own cookie and took a moment to savor how chocolatey and gooey it was before speaking. "I meant to thank you for the offer to help with the kindergarten issue I have." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Koushi immediately smiled, a dazzling one that stretched across his face. "No worries! I don't have the paperwork on me but I can easily get my hands on a copy. When would be a good time for me to drop it off? Unless you need further help…" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Help would be appreciated." Daichi replied as he nodded enthusiastically. "I have a feeling I'm going to stumble over the application and I need all the help I can get." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No worries. Are you busy tomorrow? Unless that's too soon...I just think it would be best to go over the paperwork as soon as possible. Space is limited in the kindergarten so it would be wise to finish signing up early." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Tomorrow's fine. I want to make sure I have a kindergarten all set up before I have to fully commit to work again." Daichi was beyond stressed by this fact. He still hadn't had another conversation with his son to explain that he needed to go back to work whether Tobio wanted him to or not. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Okay. I know the perfect coffee shop to go to. I'll text you the address later " Koushi finished his cookie and beamed. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to make sure my son eats a sandwich at least before we leave." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course. Thank you again, Koushi." Daichi smiled politely before bowing his head. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, we're part of a support group now. You can count on me and the others here." Koushi patted Daichi's shoulder before stepping away to chat with his son. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Daichi watched him go before gazing about the room. Perhaps this support group would truly help each and every one of them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So what did you think of the support group?" Ryu questioned his best friend as he bounced a gurgling Kazuhito on his knee. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It was actually...nice. I hadn't expected everyone to be so open and truthful." Yu replied, his eyes widening. "That Keishin guy was also pretty funny with his comments." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Ha! He sure was a riot. Who knew someone else hated his ex-wife as much as you!" Ryu joked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Right? Now I feel bad for judging those three before we even met them." Yu stated, referring to the way Ryu and him had been determined to protect Kiyoko from so-called "sleaze bags". </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryu winced as he recalled the conversation. "Yeah, that Daichi guy sure has it rough. I'm impressed he decided to join a support group so soon after losing his wife." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The two best friends couldn't help but gaze in amazement at the man in question. Daichi Sawamura was certainly built from tougher material. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yu's gaze eventually slipped away from the widower and landed on the tall brunette beside him. "That Asahi guy was also a shock. Who would have thought a tall guy like him would be so shy." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You certainly helped ease his nerves when you flashed him a thumbs up. What was that about?" Ryu asked, brow arching as he turned to study his shorter friend. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yu simply shrugged. "Just being friendly." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm...sure." Ryu remarked before glancing in the direction of Kiyoko. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yu noted this and stood. "I'm going to introduce myself personally to Asahi. Take this opportunity to talk with our goddess." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What?" Ryu spluttered but Yu had already stomped away, shoulders thrown back and head held high. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asahi looked up from his quiet conversation with Keishin and their children and froze. His eyes visibly widened and his shoulders drew up towards his ears as if he wished to vanish on the spot entirely. Keishin seemed to take this personally, drawing himself into a straighter position as he reached out to reassuringly tap Asahi's knee. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yu found this comical. Who knew that at his smaller stature he could still be rather intimidating? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hi," were the first words out of Yu's mouth as he stopped directly before the tall man with his brown locks in a bun. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"H-hi," Asahi replied timidly, eyes looking anywhere but at Yu. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I just wanted to properly introduce myself. I'm Yu Nishinoya." He bowed before staring straight at Asahi, willing him to meet his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Surprisingly, the tall man did, a faint flush painted across his cheekbones. "I'm Asahi Azumane. It's nice to meet you." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Yu beamed before motioning towards the whiteboard across the room. "I hope you saved my contact information. You, and the rest of the group, can count on me for anything!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asahi seemed taken aback by this statement but nodded nonetheless. "Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you also for encouraging me to speak earlier." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh that's not a problem. This group is meant to encourage one another, right? I was just doing what was expected of us…" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asahi nodded again, eyes falling to his shoes as he visibly deflated. Yu immediately sprang forward, hands extended and waving in the air. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I didn't mean it that way! I didn't do it because I felt forced or anything. I...I just wanted to help you feel more at ease and to know that you found a friend in me...if you'll have me as a friend, of course." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was Yu's turn to blush as he clasped his hands behind his back to hide how they shook. Why was he the nervous one now? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh," Yu's words worked to settle Asahi as he lifted his gaze and met the shorter man's eyes. With a smile to rival the sun, he nodded. "Of course. I would like us to be friends." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Great!" Yu exclaimed a little too excitedly before he waved and retreated to the corner of the room before he could embarrass himself further. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What was that about? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Clearing his throat, Ryu awkwardly shuffled his feet before Kiyoko as he shifted Kazuhito to his right hip. The baby seemed content to chew on his favorite toy, oblivious to his father's nerves. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kiyoko lifted her gaze from Hisashi, the boy now nestled against her chest and napping. She seemed startled for a moment as if she hadn't expected the sight before her. Just as quickly, she recovered and fixed her glasses. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hi Ryu, can I help you with anything?" She asked politely, her arms continuing to rock her sleeping son side to side. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, yes actually. I.." Ryu suddenly had no idea what to say. Why had he approached Kiyoko with no script in mind? Now, he would look like a gaping fool as he struggled to find something to say. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To her credit, Kiyoko was patient and polite enough to let Ryu collect his thoughts and form whatever sentence he managed to string together. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, we both are the only ones with babies here.. so I was hoping that meant we could talk more? Like, offer each other baby advice and stuff like that…" Ryu trailed off. That certainly sounded a lot better in his head. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kiyoko's lips twitched into a kind smile as she inclined her head. "I'd like that. Koushi and Takeda often like to give me advice since they both have older children but it'd be nice to have someone to talk with who is currently the parent to a growing baby." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ryu could not believe his ears! His goddess had not turned him away nor rejected his offer to keep in contact. Is this what people felt like when they said they were on cloud nine? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Bowing his head in appreciation, Ryu lifted his head and grinned from ear to ear. "Great! Hey, maybe Kazuhito here and Hisashi will become friends!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuhito happily squeaked at the mention of his name and both Ryu and Kiyoko laughed at his excitement. Hisashi didn't seem to mind the sound, happily napping away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Great idea. Babies should interact with one another. It'll help their communication and social skills." Kiyoko replied, a glint in her eyes as she imagined the two babies babbling to each other. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wise words, Kiyoko." Ryu's grin only seemed to widen as he imagined the time their sons would spend together and the potential future interactions with the beautiful woman before him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This support group was a heaven sent. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll accept my money in cash payment or via a mobile transaction." Daichi broke the silence once he had pulled the minivan out of the community center's parking lot. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone was once again settled in the same seats they had been in when they first arrived at the Karasuno Community Center. The first meeting was officially over and had been a success in the eyes of every parent who had attended. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Keishin scoffed. "Okay, okay, you guys were right all along. No need to rub it in." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Not rub it in?" Daichi laughed. "You claimed the group was a scam, looked mad to be forced to go, and then you talked the most and even flirted with the group's leader!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asahi glanced at their children but was relieved to see the three of them were fast asleep in their car seats. Good, he didn't want to have to explain what flirting meant. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Me flirt? No, if I recall it was Asahi who was being flirted with." Keishin remarked, jabbing a thumb in Asahi's direction. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yu wasn't flirting with me." Asahi replied, face warming as he slouched down in his seat, hoping to hide his red face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wasn't flirting? Oh, he was flirting all right." Keishin nodded. "Did you see how nervous you two were just talking to each other?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, sort of like how you and Takeda were?" Daichi teased, lips quirking into a smirk. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I was not nervous! I don't even know what that word means." Keishin waved away Daichi's remark before chuckling. "I simply owned up to my potentially crass comments and made amends with our group's leader." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure," Daichi rolled his eyes before a serious expression settled over his features. "I'll admit, it felt nice to talk so openly about...everything." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah," Keishin sighed, eyes drifting out the window. "Who would have known other parents were dealing with similar or even worse crap." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah...widowers, divorcees who hate their ex-wives, parents whose partners abandoned them and their children, and two parents well on their way to being divorced…" Asahi remarked rather somberly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm convinced Takeda had to have done background checks to find people with such similar background stories." Keishin chuckled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah...maybe Takeda did do his research. And even if he did, it just shows how dedicated he is to making this group work and last." Daichi said, mind replaying the meeting's events. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm excited but also nervous for next Saturday." Asahi whispered, a smile lighting up his face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Same," Daichi and Keishin hummed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Who knew what next week would bring… </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>▪︎</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Congratulations Takeda! Your first ever support group meeting was a success!" Koushi exclaimed as the last of the parents left the meeting room, leaving him alone with his two dear friends. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda flushed at the praise and turned away to begin cleaning up the leftover food, placing them into the plastic containers he brought just for the occasion. "I couldn't have done it without you both." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"True," Koushi teased, giggling as he began to stack the chairs into the corner of the meeting room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, you didn't need us." Kiyoko shook her head as she placed toy after toy back into the toy bin. Chikara and Kei were both busy watching a sleeping Hisashi in his stroller. Chikara seemed to be taking his babysitting role seriously while Kei seemed like he just wanted to go home. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh no, I definitely did. You two could really relate to Asahi and Ryu's situations. You really did help in making everyone feel welcome and like they had a reason to be a part of this group." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well you were the one who created this wonderful atmosphere and you had such deep words and explanations for every little thing." Koushi smiled. "I am simply honored to have been considered for the prestigious honor of being a member of this wonderful support group!" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda rolled his eyes at Koushi's teasing words. "Will you two be able to help me set up again next week?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course! We'll stick around to clean up too." Kiyoko beamed at her friend as she brought the closed toy bin over to the center of the room. "Are you really going to lug this back and forth for each meeting?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh no!" Takeda shook his head. "The community center has a storage space I can lock this in when we're not here." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you need help with next week's catering?" Koushi questioned as he finished his job of stacking chairs. "I can pick it up for you if you'd like." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you, Koushi. But the catering I ordered delivers and I've already arranged everything for the month." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wow! You really thought everything through." Koushi remarked, blinking in astonishment. As his eyes settled on the plastic containers his friend was placing into a tote bag, Koushi tsked. "Except for that! Next time, let the other parents take home leftovers so you're not left with so much food." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, this isn't so bad. Ryu and Yu sure did gobble down half the sandwiches and Shoyo ate the majority of the cookies." Takeda chuckled. "It makes me glad to see the food I selected was well received." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It makes me so happy to see you this way," Kiyoko whispered, her eyes seeming to glaze over behind the frames of her glasses. "You were made to be the leader of this group. The way everyone seemed to look at you only confirms that they too were impressed." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takeda flushed once again. It seemed like today was a day of blushing nonstop. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I was scared to be honest," The group’s leader lowered his eyes, clearing the sudden lump that formed in his throat. "I thought I was way in over my head and that I was only going to let everyone down." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You overthink too much." Koushi sighed as he and Kiyoko pulled Takeda into a warm embrace. "You are going to be a wonderful leader and just the right person to lead this group. But remember, if you need help or are ever overwhelmed, we got your back." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Those words seemed to be just the right words to ease Takeda and erase all his worries. And with both his best friends embracing him in a tight hug, Takeda leaned into them and sniffled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As always, feedback and constructive criticism is encouraged!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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